King Asoka's Dharma-based program for social welfare : an ancient embodiment of "Humanistic Buddhism"
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Author
Long, J. Bruce See all items with this value
Date
2004
Volume
5
Pages
301-311
ISSN
1530-4108 See all items with this value
Abstract
Anyone who is knowledgeable about World History, and is acquainted with the rise and fall of civilizations and the coming and going of monarchs, knows that there is no question but that King Asoka, who ruled much of India during the 3rd century BCE, was one of the most extraordinary rulers in world history. Powerful monarch, visionary social and religious reformer, statesman, philosopher, and inspired builder of a revolutionary socio-religious order that had never before existed and has never been precisely duplicated since his time, Asoka stands out as a unique architect of a cultural order for the promotion of the commonweal of all people for all time.
In this paper, however, our focus will be on providing a cursory overview of some of the most prominent elements that constituted Asoka's vision of a new socio-political order that he hoped would, ideally, serve to promote the welfare of all its citizens. But, we must add that even the presentation of this brief overview of Asoka's social ethic will provide the reader with a revealing profile of this extraordinary ruler.
In this paper, however, our focus will be on providing a cursory overview of some of the most prominent elements that constituted Asoka's vision of a new socio-political order that he hoped would, ideally, serve to promote the welfare of all its citizens. But, we must add that even the presentation of this brief overview of Asoka's social ethic will provide the reader with a revealing profile of this extraordinary ruler.